[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 37 (Monday, February 27, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S493]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                    East Palestine Train Derailment

  Madam President, on another matter, the attention and prayers of the 
entire Nation have been fixed for the past several weeks on the town of 
East Palestine and the surrounding area in Northeast Ohio. The 
derailment of the Norfolk Southern train led to a disastrous chemical 
release, forcing many from their homes and leaving a community 
vulnerable. The people of East Palestine are understandably anxious and 
upset, and of course they deserve answers.
  Our colleague the junior Senator from Ohio has been all over this 
issue. We will continue to work with him to ensure the people of Ohio 
are appropriately informed and supported in the months to come. We also 
thank Ohio Governor Mike DeWine for his leadership on the ground.
  Unfortunately, this leadership has cut a sharp contrast with the 
Biden administration's Secretary of Transportation. Even amidst a 
catalog of crises on his watch, from this and other recent train 
derailments to the meltdown in air travel back during the holiday 
season, Secretary Buttigieg has seemed more interested in pursuing 
press coverage for woke initiatives and climate nonsense than in 
attending to the basic elements of his day job.
  Understandably, there were some initial concerns in my home State of 
Kentucky about possible impacts since we are downriver, but the good 
news is that even after careful monitoring by local experts, there is 
no reason to believe that Kentuckians have anything to worry about. 
Local water authorities are monitoring the Ohio River's downstream 
water quality very closely, and thus far they have seen no cause for 
alarm whatsoever. Every indication is that the situation for 
Kentuckians is 100 percent normal. Even so, my staff and I remain in 
close communication with all the relevant utilities and local 
authorities.